Barcelona Abandoned Kvaratskhelia Pursuit After Raphinha Stayed

Barcelona came close to signing Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in 2024 but ultimately abandoned the pursuit after Napoli demanded €70 million and the Spanish club failed to secure the player sale needed to finance the deal. According to SPORT, Barcelona began exploring the transfer in January at the request of then-manager Xavi Hernandez, who wanted a decisive left winger. The proposed move stalled primarily because of Napoli's financial demands rather than the player's willingness to join Barcelona.

The Italian club wanted almost the entire €70 million fee paid upfront, a condition Barcelona struggled to meet amid its financial difficulties. Barcelona initially contacted Kvaratskhelia's agent, Mamuka Jugeli, directly. Jugeli publicly acknowledged that the winger dreamed of playing in Spain, with Barcelona and Real Madrid both representing potential destinations.

Negotiations with the player appeared more manageable because his salary at Napoli was modest and the club's proposed contract extension reportedly fell short of his market value, according to SPORT. However, Napoli's payment conditions prevented Barcelona from progressing toward an agreement.

The Spanish club revisited the possibility in April 2024 but needed additional time because the transfer depended on generating funds through a significant player sale. Sporting director Deco suspected that Brazilian winger Raphinha could move to Saudi Arabia, and Barcelona waited for a decision that might have financed Kvaratskhelia's arrival. That plan changed following a managerial transition. Barcelona president Joan Laporta parted ways with Xavi after the disappointing end to the season, while incoming manager Hansi Flick made retaining important players a priority.

Flick convinced Raphinha to remain at Barcelona, removing the potential departure that the club had considered necessary to finance the Kvaratskhelia transfer. Without those funds, Barcelona ended its pursuit of the Georgian winger. Barcelona completed only two signings during the difficult transfer window, bringing in Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, according to the reports. The failure to reach an agreement for Kvaratskhelia reflected the club's financial limitations and the consequences of its decision to retain Raphinha.

Kvaratskhelia subsequently left Napoli and joined Paris Saint-Germain in January 2025 in a deal worth €80 million. The move placed him at the French club after Barcelona had been unable to meet Napoli's earlier demands. As reported by the two outlets, Kvaratskhelia is now linked to a contract renewal with PSG through 2031. Barcelona's failed pursuit in 2024 therefore preceded his move to Paris, where he became a potential threat to the Catalan side ahead of their meeting with PSG.